Zizie can transfer case to a different court

All set : Bung Moktar (third from left) and his wife Zizie (in sunglasses) arriving at the Kuala Lumpur Courts Complex. — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR: An application by Datin Seri Zizie Izette Abdul Samad, who is accused of abetting her husband in a RM2.8mil corruption case, to have her case review transferred to a different High Court has been granted.

High Court judge Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah allowed Zizie to transfer the review application against the Sessions Court’s order for her to enter defence to Criminal High Court 7.

This is the same court where her husband Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin’s review application will be heard before Judicial Commissioner Azhar Abdul Hamid.

Earlier in the proceedings here yesterday, Justice Sequerah was informed by Zizie’s counsel M. Athimulan that the pro- secution did not object to the transfer.

Deputy public prosecutor Mohd Sophian Zakaria confirmed to the court that the prosecution had no objection for both cases to be transferred to the same court.

Athimulan also said the defence would file an application to consolidate Zizie and Bung’s review application next Tuesday at JC Azhar’s court.

Both the review applications are scheduled to be heard on their merits this Oct 17 before JC Azhar.

Mohd Sophian later told the press that the prosecution would be making its arguments on Zizie and Bung’s stay application, their application to consolidate the cases together as well as the review application on the Oct 17 hearing.

On Sept 2, Sessions Court judge Rozina Ayob ordered the couple to enter their defence on corruption charges after finding that the prosecution had made a prima facie case against them.

Bung Moktar, who is Sabah Deputy Chief Minister and Sabah Umno chief, is accused of three charges of accepting bribes amounting to RM2.8mil to obtain approval for Felcra Bhd to invest RM150mil in Public Mutual unit trusts.

Zizie was accused of three charges of abetting her husband in the matter.

Justice Sequerah granted the couple a stay on the hearing of their defence trial pending the disposal of their applications to review the lower court order which ordered them to enter their defence on the charges.